Busbar forming method and folded busbar

Abstract

An exemplary busbar forming method includes, among other things, creasing a sheet of material to form a plurality of creases that partition the sheet into a plurality of segments. The method further includes identifying a desired size for a terminal receiving recess in a busbar. In response to the desired size, the method folds at least some of the segments relative to each other about at least some of the creases according to a first process, or a different, second process. An exemplary battery assembly includes, among other things, a busbar formed from a sheet of material. The busbar has a terminal receiving recess. Creases are formed within the sheet that partition at least a portion of the sheet into a plurality of segments. Some of the segments are folded relative to each other about at least some of the creases to provide the terminal receiving recess in the busbar.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A busbar forming method, comprising:
 creasing a sheet of material to form a plurality of creases that partition the sheet into a plurality of segments; and 
 identifying a desired size for a desired terminal receiving recess in a desired busbar; and 
 in response to the desired size, folding at least some of the segments relative to each other about at least some of the creases according to a first folding process, or a different, second folding process, 
 wherein the sheet with at least some of the segments folded according to the first folding process provides a first busbar having a terminal receiving recess of a first size, 
 wherein the sheet with at least some of the segments folded according to the second folding process provides a second busbar having a terminal receiving recess of a second size that is different than the first size, 
 wherein a portion of the busbar providing the terminal receiving recess includes a bottom and opposing sides, wherein at least one of the opposing sides includes some of the segments folded against each other. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creases each extend linearly in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sheet. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the creases are distributed along a longitudinal axis of the sheet and each of the creases extends from a first lateral side of the sheet to an opposite, second lateral side of the sheet. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the segments are each equally sized. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creasing comprises at least partially perforating the sheet to establish the creases. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first folding process and the second folding process both include folding some of the same segments relative to each other about some of the same creases. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creases are distributed such that a punch of a tool can fold the sheet according to the first folding process, and the same punch can fold the sheet according to the second folding process. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after the folding, clamping a portion of the first busbar providing the terminal receiving recess to sandwich a first number of battery terminal tabs. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first busbar extends along a longitudinal axis, and the clamping comprises directly contacting opposing axially facing sides of the portion of the first busbar providing the terminal receiving recess. 
     
     
       10. A busbar forming method, comprising:
 creasing a sheet of material to form a plurality of creases that partition the sheet into a plurality of segments; and 
 identifying a desired size for a desired terminal receiving recess in a desired busbar; and 
 in response to the desired size, folding at least some of the segments relative to each other about at least some of the creases according to a first folding process, or a different, second folding process, 
 wherein the sheet with at least some of the segments folded according to the first folding process provides a first busbar having a terminal receiving recess of a first size, 
 
       wherein the sheet with at least some of the segments folded according to the second folding process provides a second busbar having a terminal receiving recess of a second size that is different than the first size,
 wherein the terminal receiving recess in the first busbar is a first terminal receiving recess and further comprising folding at least some of the segments relative to each other about some of the creases to provide a second terminal receiving recess in the first busbar that is spaced from the first terminal receiving recess. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising clamping the first and second terminal recesses to a respective first and second group of battery terminal tabs, and using a portion of the first busbar extending between the first and second terminal recesses as a spring to accommodate movement of the first and second groups of battery terminal tabs relative to each other during operation. 
     
     
       12. A battery assembly, comprising:
 a busbar formed from a sheet of material, the busbar having a terminal receiving recess; and 
 a plurality of creases formed within the sheet that partition at least a portion of the sheet into a plurality of segments, wherein at least some of the segments are folded relative to each other about at least some of the creases to provide the terminal receiving recess in the busbar, wherein the terminal receiving recess is a first terminal receiving recess of a first size, wherein at least some of the segments are capable of being folded relative to each other about at least some of the creases to provide a busbar having a second terminal receiving recess of a different, second size. 
 
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of segments are equally sized. 
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least some of the creases about which some of the segments are capable of being folded to provide the busbar having the terminal receiving recess of the first size, are the same as the creases about which some of the segments are capable of being folded to provide the busbar having the terminal receiving recess of the second size. 
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the creases each extend transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sheet, and the creases are distributed along the longitudinal axis such that the plurality of creases divide the sheet into a plurality of segments that are equally sized. 
     
     
       16. The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the creases are areas of the sheet of material that are at least partially perforated. 
     
     
       17. The assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising more than one terminal of a battery sandwiched within the terminal receiving recess. 
     
     
       18. The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one terminal comprises a first terminal tab extending a first distance from a outermost case of a first battery cell, and further comprises a second terminal tab extending a greater, second distance from an outermost case of second battery cell such that a portion of the first terminal tab outside the case is longer than a portion of the second terminal tab that is outside the case.